This invention relates in general to a sterile earlobe piercing system and, in particular, to an earpiercing system utilizing a novel combination of an earpiercing gun, earring studs and earring clasps to facilitate sterile earpiercing.
Earpiercing systems using an earpiercing gun are well known in the prior art. Present earpiercing systems are particularly characterized by an earring stud with a sharpened point being inserted through the earlobe by a spring loaded instrument or gun. The pioneering earpiercing system for reducing the spread of infectious disease was a system manufactured and sold by Inverness Corporation, the assignee of this invention. The Inverness system is described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,507, issued to Samuel J. Mann.
The Inverness earpiercing system has proven to be effective in preventing the transmission of infectous disease. However, the Inverness system requires excessive handling of the earring cartridge after piercing of the first earlobe is completed. Also the Inverness system is complex and requires several components including a cartridge and cartridge housing which increases the cost thereof. Accordingly, a less complex ear piercing system wherein the handling of the ear piercing elements and, in particular, the disposable earring and clasp cartridge is reduced during operation is desired.